Stay Gold
by awtrfan4eva
Summary: How will Pony and the Greasers make it without Johnny and Dally? Please Read and Review! xox
1. Chapter One

Note: I don't own any of the characters from the original book "The Outsiders", only the new ones I've created.  
  
Chapter 1  
  
"Man, that was good," Johnny said, once I had finished reading him "Gone With the Wind".  
  
"Johnny?" I could see blood coming from his mouth, "JOHNNY!!" exclaimed, trying to run toward him. I couldn't move. A chuckle came from beside me as a soc named Paul entered the church.  
  
"Pony.Pony wake up," I felt Soda's hands shaking me awake, and I opened my eyes slowly. I glanced at my clock and saw that it was only 3:43 am  
  
"Why'd you wake me up Sodapop?"  
  
"You were sweatin' like crazy, was it that nightmare again? The one about Johnny?" I nodded my head. It was the third time this week  
  
"It'll be alright Pony, we're all tryin' to get over it," He said. I could see him thinking hard about what he should say next. Maybe he thought what he said could ease my pain by muttering some words of comfort to me. I decided to spare him the trouble, and replied, "Okay" before pretending to go to sleep. When I could hear Soda was safely asleep, I turned over and stared up at the ceiling. Johnny was always on my mind lately. One time, when Me, Darry, and Sodapop were eating supper they asked me about how I felt.  
  
"Pony...is something wrong?" Darry asked me. I have to admit, I had been tense and grumpy that whole day- snapping at everything anyone said. Soda stopped eating and looked me in the eye  
  
"You can tell us Pony, you know that," I wavered on what I was to say. I wanted to talk about it- badly. The only thing was- I wasn't sure they really wanted to listen. When I didn't reply, I knew Soda would keep on pushing  
  
"Is it---" he started, putting his hand on my arm (which was on the table) "is it about Johnny?" I scrunched up my face and whipped my hand off the table  
  
"Ya'll don't know what I'm feelin'! Neither one of you! Just leave me alone, alright? I wanna eat," I said, desperately trying to fight the tears forming in my eyes  
  
"We all miss him, Ponyboy. Johnny was a great kid. So was Dally-He had some problems but he was alright," Darry commented, pretending to act concerned  
  
"It's all my fault anyway!" I screamed, banging my fist down on the table as hard as I could. I couldn't fight the tears anymore, they just started flowing down my face, "If I hadn't ran into that stupid church Johnny wouldn't be dead and neither would Dally!" I banged my head down on the table and started bawling. Darry and Soda just stared at each other for a moment, not knowing what to say. Finally Soda started saying something or other, but I cut him off cold and ran into my room, slamming the door. I cried myself to sleep that night---And the next---and the next--- 


	2. Chapter Two

Chapter 2  
  
Walking through the halls at school, I could feel the eyes of hate-filled Socs staring at me, watching my every move. Most of them were scared of me now, even though I didn't kill Bob; they seemed to get the impression that it was all my doing. It didn't matter to me anyway.  
  
As I walked toward the door to the cafeteria, I saw a group of Soc girls crowded around one I didn't recognize. Sitting next to her was Cherry Valance. For a moment, her eyes met mine and I swear I thought I saw a smile. No, I thought. She couldn't have. Cherry doesn't smile at Greasers. I shook the thought of Cherry out of my head and sat down at a table with my bagged lunch. Just then the crowd started walking toward the door, and I saw the new girl look at me, almost with astonishment. I wanted to say "Do you have a problem?" or "Take a picture!" but you don't say that so Socs. Well, not their girls anyway. I heard her speak to Cherry, and I strained to hear, "Cherry who's that over there? With the black shirt,"  
  
"Oh that's Ponyboy Curtis," She replied, not saying anything further about me.  
  
"He's cute!" The new girl replied in a bubbly voice. I just about choked on my pop. Cute? No girl had ever called me cute before, especially not one hanging around a group of pretty Soc girls.  
  
"Yeah, he's okay, actually. He's a greaser though," The last part of that sentence made me clench my fists in frustration. The girl laughed,  
  
"Greaser? What the hell is a greaser, Cherry?" She didn't know what a Greaser was? I thought everyone in Tulsa did. A new group of Socs surrounded Cherry and the new girl, and so my eavesdropping was cut short by the raucous of giddy girls.  
  
When the school day was over, I was glad to get out of the building to have a smoke. As I reached into my jacket pocket for a pack of cigarettes, I good hear someone coming up behind me. I prayed for it not to be a Soc wanting to start a fight.  
  
"Ponyboy. What is that, I nickname or something?" I turned around and saw the girl Cherry had been talking to. She was one of the most beautiful things I had every seen in my life. Her hair was blonde and long like Cherry's, and she wore a barrette on the side to keep the wisps of hair from falling onto her face.  
  
"No," I replied, not knowing what to say to a girl of this means.  
  
"Oh," she replied, still smiling, "Well I think it's cool," she commented, and I briefly smiled back. "I'm Meg, by the way," she added, holding out her hand for me to shake. I had my cigarette in one hand and my books in the other, so I held my cigarette in my mouth as I took her hand.  
  
"You're new?" I asked through puffs of smoke  
  
"Mmm-Hmm, you know Cherry right? Cherry Valance? She's my cousin. I moved here from British Columbia.Canada," So that's why she had never heard of the Socs and the Greasers. I guess they didn't have them in Canada. Maybe I should convince Darry to move is there, I thought.  
  
"Yeah? Yeah I know Cherry, she's cool," I replied, putting out my cigarette as I saw a gang of Socs twice my size approach Meg and I. Cherry was one of them.  
  
"Meg, what are you doing?" One of the girls asked as she took Meg's arm. Meg pulled it away and said she was talking to someone.  
  
"You don't want to go making friends with a Greaser," One of the guys said; his gang of friends chuckled mindlessly at his joke. I felt my head start to sing lower and lower.  
  
"And why not?" She replied confidently.  
  
"'Cause they're nothin' but a group of hoods with long, greasy hair," He replied, touching my hair for a moment before I began to walk off. I heard Meg say something or other, and followed me.  
  
"Ponyboy, what's the matter between you guys?"  
  
"They're Socs and I'm a Greaser! There's a lot the matter. Me and my best friend, who's dead now, killed a Soc a while ago! Socs are the good guys that get all the breaks, go to college and all that. Greasers are like he said- Hoods with greasy long hair," I replied coldly, as I continued walking  
  
"You killed someone?" She asked, obviously intimidated  
  
"He was tryin' to kill me and Johnny. We didn't mean to, but he would have killed us both of we hadn't. Anyways what the hell do you want with me? Why do you keep followin' me?"  
  
"Because---Because I like you, Ponyboy. You don't seem like a hood to me. Look, do you want to get a soda? Maybe you could explain to me the whole Soc thing, I still don't quite get it,"  
  
"Ask one of your friends to," She grabbed my arm and stared me in the eye  
  
"I'm asking you," She replied. We headed over to the corner store. 


	3. Chapter Three

Chapter 3  
  
As we walked inside the corner store and sat down on the cherry-colored booth, it dawned on me how odd this really was. I, Ponyboy Curtis, was on some kind of date with a Soc. Since it made that little sense to me, I decided not to think about it and try to enjoy myself.  
  
"So, have you lived in Tulsa your whole life?" Meg asked, taking a look at the slender menu provided by the small restaurant. I cleared my throat for a moment, and then answered her,  
  
"Never been anywhere else. What about you. . .is this your first time here?" As the waitress approaches us, I ordered a soda for myself and the same for Meg.  
  
"I was here once when I was a little girl. . .some Christmas I came up with Cherry and her family. That was-" she paused, "that was before my mom died,"  
  
"I'm sorry. . .my parents are dead, too," I replied, letting my eyes wander around the building. For some reason I just did not want to make eye- contact with her.  
  
"Both of them?" she asked. I nodded solemnly, still not able to look her in the eye. She continued, "My father isn't dead. . .actually that's why I moved here. He's moving in with his new wife this week and decided it would be best for me to come and live with Cherry. I know it sounds bad but I don't hold it against him. I mean, he needs to get me out of the way for a little while in order for him to start a new life, right?" she replied. It sounded to me as if she was saying this to reassure herself more so than me, so I let her continue, "So tell me a little about you, Pony."  
  
"What's there to tell? My mom and dad both died, Darry dropped out of school to raise me and Soda. . .my best friend died this year. . ."  
  
"Sounds to me like theres a lot to tell," she commented as our drinks came and the conversation ended at that.  
  
After our drinks and a series of minor conversations about practically nothing more exciting than the weather, she asked me to walk her home. Normally, if she were any other girl I would have right away, but the thought of walking at night with a Soc was frightening. However, it would be nothing less than rude if I didn't, and so I agreed to walk her home.  
  
Nervously looking around, we walked down the path past the Drive-Thru. That place was usually loaded with Socs, so I started to speed up as we walked past it. I could tell Meg was still confused, so I tried the best I could to explain to her about the Socials and the Greasers.  
  
"See, Meg, not everyone in Tulsa is the same. There are the Socials, a.k.a the Socs, who live on the west side. Then there are the Greasers, like me, who live on the east side. Cherry is a Soc. . .I guess you are too then. Do you get it?" Meg stopped  
  
"I'm a Soc? So that's it? I move here with my cousin and I all of a sudden get labeled as a Social. I'm not, Ponyboy. Do I look like I want to hurt you or beat you up? I like you, Pony! Why can't you understand that?" I thought about it for a second. I knew she didn't want to hurt me. She only wanted to be my friend, but I labeled her as a Soc and that was that- nothing more had to be said.  
  
"I can't help it Meg! You don't get it! No one wants us to be friends! Do you know what those other Socs would try to do to me if they found out I was hangin' with you? They'd beat me 'till I was knocked out, that's what. Maybe you never had no Socs or Greasers in that Canada you were in, but they're here and not you, not me, not no one can change that." I felt a bead of sweat drip down my forehead and I quickly wiped it off. I took a deep breath and anxiously awaited her reply; but to my surprise there was none. She just kept walking and sighed deeply. "Well?" I asked.  
  
"Well what?" She asked, sighing heavily again, "you know everything about me, I guess. I'm a 'Soc' and it ends at that. If you really feel that way, that's fine. Theres no use for me even trying to be your friend," she continued walking and I followed her. I was amazed. How could she just stop all of a sudden like that? I had never met anyone like her before, that was for certain. After a while of just walking and saying nothing I got restless, and I longed to hear her voice again. Why was I feeling this way? I just couldn't help it.  
  
"Wait," I said, running around in front of her, placing my hand softly on her arm. "I don't want to do this. I like you too, I just don't see how it can work; me and you," A subtle smile crept across her face and as she tried to wipe it off, I noticed that she found it not possible.  
  
"Not everything has to be easy, Ponyboy," she replied. It was at this moment that I realized how much she reminded me of Cherry. Her long, flowing hair, that unforgettable smile, and even the way she talked. "If things are as serious between the Socs and the Greasers as you say they are, we're going to have to work at it and it might be hard at times, yeah. . .but if you really like me, you'll make that sacrifice."  
  
"I do like you," I replied, and the rest of the walk was narrated by nothing other than the divine sound of silence.  
  
When we reached her house there was a kind of awkward silence lingering around us. I was waiting for her to go inside, and I think she was waiting for me to leave. So in reality we were just standing there, staring at each other.  
  
"I guess I should go inside," she commented, turning to leave but then she turned back around and further approached me. My mind started racing and my heart started beating as her face came closer and closer to mine, and finally she gave me a quick peck on the cheek. I could feel myself blushing, but I tried not to let it show. I smiled weakly, and for the first time in a long while I felt totally and completely happy.  
  
"I'll see you tomorrow," I added as she opened her door and walked inside. 


	4. Chapter Four

Chapter 4  
  
That night when I came home at around eight o'clock, I got the third degree from Darry.  
  
"Boy, do you know you had me worried sick? Do you not care how. . ." he started, before Soda jumped in to defend me,  
  
"Aw, c'mon Darry give him a break. C'mon Pony," he said, leading me into my room. He sat me down on the bed and sat down himself as well. He looked me in the eye and with a smile asked me what happened. I gladly shared it with him. Once my story was finished, I could see his face glowing with almost pride. He smiled and let out a heart laugh, "Well that's my boy!" he exclaimed, grasping the back of my head. Once he left, I decided to do some reading but I found it near impossible to concentrate. After a while, I became disgusted with myself. "She's a Social," I kept telling myself. But, then a thought crossed my mind. Maybe she wasn't.  
  
The next day at school, to tell the complete truth, I felt a little nervous. Arriving at school in the mornings, I usually waited under a large, shady oak tree located slightly off school grounds and waited for some greasers. This time, though, I found myself hanging around the front of the school waiting to catch a glimpse of Meg. Once I saw her and Cherry walk up the sidewalk leading to the school, I turned my head, pretending not to notice them. Cherry headed over to her friends and Meg approached me.  
  
"Hey there," she greeted me with that un-forgettable smile of hers. I returned the greeting, and not knowing what else to say, I asked her how she was.  
  
"I'm fine," she said, nodding her head as she talked. I could feel the eyes of Cherry and her soc friends, especially the one who had confronted me the day before about hanging around Meg. "How are you?" she asked, and my reply was the same as hers. Thinking back on it now, I realize how foolish I must have sounded. Why did she keep talking to me? To this day, I still do not know.  
  
Through the school day I managed to keep my mind on my work, and in math class I got my test back-B+. I got four questions wrong. Walking out into the hall after the class was over, I approached Meg this time.  
  
"What'd you get on your test?" I asked, as she flipped her hair around and looked at me. I think she might have been a little surprised I had come to talk to her  
  
"Um, a B+. What about you?" She asked  
  
"Same," I replied with the best smile I could manage. Just then I saw Two- Bit come running up to me, sweat pouring down his face. His breath smelt of alcohol, and I wondered what he was doing at my school.  
  
"Man what are you doin' here?" I asked, looking at Meg. She was obviously very startled and didn't know what to do. Two-Bit tried to regain himself and between gasps for breath he tried to explain it to me.  
  
"Man---" he started, taking the collar of his shirt and wiping it on his forehead, "It's Soda. . .he was jumped by some soc's at the gas-station. I was there man, he ain't doin' too good," My heart sank. No. Nothing can happen to Soda. It just wasn't possible; my world would crumble if something did.  
  
Briefly shooing Meg off, I ran with Two-Bit to the station not too far away from my school. I could see a group of greasy-looking backs crowded around what was obviously my brother, and I ran even faster to join them. I could almost smell the pain Soda was in when I arrived.  
  
"AHH!" Soda exclaimed as one of the greasers attempted to lift his head from the pavement and put his jacket down, serving as a pillow.  
  
"Soda," I said, trying to sound calm, as I squatted down beside his head. I could see that his nose was bleeding fiercely and he had a bad bruise already starting to form on his neck. From the waist down things seemed to be okay, but it was his arm that must have hurt the most. Just from looking at it you could tell that it was broken. Twisted almost all the way around, it was already bleeding badly. Steve took off his shirt and wrapped it around the broken arm. Soda screamed out once more and we waited for some help to come. 


	5. Chapter Five

NOTE- I apologize profusely for leaving you at this cliffhanger! I hope I'll be writing more frequently from now on. This is a very short chapter but I figured I'd put it out anyway...  
  
Chapter 5  
  
About 15 minutes after I called an ambulance for Soda, it came. They took out a stretcher with an aqua-green blanket out of it and the two paramedics knelt down to pick him up.  
  
"Now, this is going to hurt a little," The woman said, as she tucked her chin-length hair behind her ears. I guessed she was maybe 30 years old, and by the look on her face she was very good at her job. I looked away as they lifted him up, but I couldn't help overhearing the yelp of pain Soda released as he was being lifted onto the stretcher.  
  
"No ... Ahhh! Stop! Please just ... AHH!" It hurt my heart to listen to this. I had heard Soda in pain before (like the time when he was 12 years old and ran out into traffic for a dare with his buddies), but never before like this. As they closed the doors to the ambulance and rushed Soda away from me, I heard Darry's voice talking to me.  
  
"Go back to school Pony," he said simply. I was in awe. How did he expect me to concentrate on school when my brother, my best friend was in the hospital?  
  
"But Darry---" I started, before I was interrupted  
  
"There's nothin' you can do here now. He'll be okay, just go back to school." I wanted to argue but not in front of the guys and I knew Darry was right, no matter how badly I wished he wasn't. So, with a sigh I turned around and headed back for the school. 


	6. Chapter Six

Warning: This chapter contains language that may not be suitable for all readers. Don't say I didn't warn you. Oh, and by the way, the * means there's a footnote at the bottom of the page.  
  
Chapter 6 (finally!)  
  
I walked back to school as slowly as I could, with a bitter outlook on everything I passed. When I knew I'd wasted every possible second I could, I sauntered into my math class.  
  
"Well hello Mr. Curtis, you've decided to grace us with your presence, have you?" I hated Mrs. Johnson. She was about 30 lbs over-weight and always wore her rapidly graying hair in a tight bun at the very top of her fat head. When she walked, her legs squeezed against each other and if you were near her (which I tried not to be); you could hear the fabric of her skin- colored panty-hose rubbing against each other. The worse thing was that her daughter was a Social that graduated a couple years ago so she always picked on me whenever she could. I just brushed off her comment and sat myself down with a slump and a dagger-shooting glare. But she wouldn't stop  
  
"Do you feel like you have the authority to just show up here whenever you feel like it?" She started as she walked over to my desk, "I know you and your little group of pathetic, smoking, drinking gang have no use for the law and disregard it whenever you can, but why don't I teach you a lesson your parents obviously don't care enough much about you to teach you themselves." I felt my face start to redden. Not now. If she insulted my parents one more time, or any of my friends, I was going to blow. "It's not a responsibility of mine to teach you or any of your slimy, grease ball friends. If you give me any trouble I can and will report you to the principal's office, do you understand? You'd think that your mother and father would have some intelligence as to teach you at least something, even if they do let you walk out of the house looking like you do. But then again, I suppose they can't be that successful in the first place. You know, they say a parent is reflected in their child ..."  
  
"Shut up," I said with an angry look in my face. It reminded me of Dally right before a brawl. He'd get this look in his eyes, added to the already ice-cold glare he often wore, and when he was like that you better stay away. At that moment I so wanted to just pull out my switchblade and cut her little bun off the top of her head.  
  
"Didn't your parents teach you not to talk back to a teacher? They must be some proud ...you know, I really should give them a call sometime. Congratulate them on raising a son just like them"*  
  
"Yeah, go ahead, my parents are fuckin' dead." I had never said that word to a teacher before. Everyone in the class turned their heads to me with their jaws open. I shot them all dirty looks, including Meg, who didn't seem to notice. She just kind of looked at me with pity, which I hated even more. I didn't like people knowing that I don't have any parents and I don't tell someone unless I have to. At first, when I said this, Mrs. Johnson just looked at me. She licked her thin, chapped lips and then slowly opened her mouth.  
  
"Get down to the principal's office." She said as the veins started getting bigger and more noticeable in her fat, chicken-like neck. We just stared at each other, not blinking, hardly even breathing. You could hear a pin drop if you tried. "NOW!" She yelled and, in fear her head exploding onto my desk, I grabbed my binders and stomped out of her classroom.  
  
I didn't bother going to the principal's office, I knew Darry would kill me if he knew I said something like that to a teacher. I wanted to go check on Soda, and I almost did, but Darry would know I skipped. So I stood around the front of the school until the last bell rang and began walking home when I felt the tap of a familiar finger on my shoulder.  
  
"What was that?" Meg asked as we started walking. I really didn't want to have to answer to her now, but I knew she didn't deserve to have my anger taken out on. I sighed and pulled out a smoke, she looked away for a minute while I lit it, and then answered.  
  
"I don't know I just don't like takin' shit from her man. All I did was come late 'cause my brother got jumped by a bunch of Soc's and he's in the hospital now."  
  
"Will he be okay?" She asked with a concerned-sounding voice. Whether she really cared or not I didn't know.  
  
"That's what I'm goin' to find out. Look, I'll see you later alright Meg?" She looked at me with a little bit of a frown and, as much as I wanted to hang out with her again, Soda came first.  
  
I ran to the hospital as fast as I could. I finally got there and, even though I was out of breath, I ran even faster up to his room. As soon as I got on the fourth floor all the guys got up to greet me. My first question of course was if he was okay.  
  
"Pony, sit down," Darry said seriously. He's always like this, I thought. He always tried to act serious, so this didn't bother me as much as the fact that everyone's face looked like they had just seen a ghost. I grabbed the nearest seat and then started bombarding him with some more questions. He wouldn't answer them at first so I got frustrated.  
  
"Answer me! Why is everyone so quiet around here?" I knew I was only lying to myself. I knew why everyone was so quiet and why they all looked as pale as the walls in the waiting room. Soda wasn't okay. I could feel hot tears starting to fill up my tired eyes but I fought them back as hard as I could. "What's going on?" I yelled and Steve's hand went to his mouth. Steve doesn't cry. He's been with Soda for as long as I can remember and I've never seen a tear fall from his eyes.  
  
"The doctor's still running some tests," Darry said quietly, "but he says ..." He began to say something but the words seemed to be stuck on his tongue and wouldn't be projected out of his mouth. Finally he took a deep breath, closed his eyes and said "He's paralyzed."  
  
* - Related to personal experience. Didn't say exactly what Pony said, but something like it. Shut her up good. 


	7. Chapter Seven

Chapter 7  
  
My heart froze. He can't be actually paralyzed, I thought. That was the kind of stuff that always happens in the movies I watch, but never happens to actual people with feelings and emotions. I just stared at Darry for a second, waiting for him to say "joking!" but I knew Darry and he doesn't do that kind of stuff. Even if he did, I could see the melancholy look on his tired face and no one looks like that when they're joking, no matter how good an actor you are. I took a good look around at the guys and knew this was no joke. Steve's face was whiter than Johnny's the night he killed that Soc, and that's saying something. Two-bit wasn't himself at all, his hair was tussled, unlike his regular greased-back hair with every strand in place and a comb in his pocket waiting to brush any piece that got out of line. And Darry, well I had seen him mad as hell before, so I knew well that icy-cold look he sometimes got in his eyes. Who was he mad at this time? I guessed it was probably just the world for all the bad luck that's been thrown our way. Mind you, this is just a guess.  
  
We all just waited there for a couple minutes without saying anything; there was nothing to say. I let my eyes wander around the waiting girl and they fell onto a little girl coloring in her princess coloring book. Every couple moments she'd stop and cough the worst cough I'd ever heard in my life from inside her chest. It was so bad that my ribs and lungs hurt just listening to her. Even though she was obviously very sick, the amazing thing to me was that she looked happy. Her father was with her and I could see the tired, anxious, scared look on his face as he put on an obviously fake smile as his daughter showed him her drawings. While I was watching them and wondering about their life, what was wrong with the little girl, where the mother was, and what they were thinking, I completely forgot about Soda. Just then a 20-year-old looking nurse with short blond hair that flipped out to the side came out with a clipboard in her hand and a smile on her pretty face. She looked down at the papers she was holding as we all held our breath and waited for her to say something.  
  
"You're, umm ..." She started as her eyebrows crinkled together as she looked down at her papers, "Soda-pop Curtis is it?" Darry just nodded slightly, "Yes, well, you're his legal guardian are you?" Darry nodded once more.  
  
"How's he doin' nurse? Is he going to be alright?" She smiled and tilted her hair toward some of the rooms down the hall  
  
"He's ready to see you all. Now, you can't stay for too long. He needs his rest. But come along," She lead us to room 142. It was the last room at the very end of the long hall and looked almost to be shoved aside where no one would notice it. She opened the door and there was Soda lying down with a beige-colored wrap around his left leg. As we softly entered the room the nurse exited and Soda opened his eyes. We all put on the best smiles we could but I knew Soda too well to think that he didn't know we were worried sick.  
  
"Hey, buddy!" Two-bit exclaimed in a kind of whispered excitement. Soda just looked at him then smiled.  
  
"I know you guys aren't as happy as you're makin' out. I heard the doctor talking about me ... I'm paralyzed from the waist down," he announced, as if we didn't already know. Of course I knew, Darry had just told me outside on the waiting area. But to see Soda lying there, helpless, with a black eye and a large gash from his temple to half-way down his cheek, and to hear him say it himself killed me. He was one of the most happy and optimistic people I knew and to see him admit that he might not be able to walk made it that much worse. "But, hell, who knows? They said they don't know if it's temporary or not." He took a deep breath and closed his eyes for a moment, then opened them again. He wasn't alright, I knew he was hurting but, along with the rest of the guys, I faked a smile for him. Anything to make him feel better.  
  
After a while of just talking in his room about nothing at actually mattered, we were forced to leave until tomorrow when they were supposed to have the test results. The boys all went their separate ways except me and Darry who walked alone with only the light of the moon for us to see. We were pretty quiet most of the way, until Darry, to my surprised, broke the silence. He cleared his throat a couple times before he actually started talking.  
  
"Pony ... who's this Meg girl?" I was expecting him to say something to me about how Soda was going to be okay when I knew he knew he wasn't. How did he know about Meg anyway? Soda must have told him, I thought.  
  
"She's just a girl I know, that's all." I replied plainly. I really didn't want to have to deal with Darry now, not when Soda was in the hospital. If he knew that she was a Soc, I could be up all night with a lecture on how I should stay away from her. But, once again Darry surprised me. He didn't say anything about where she was from or how she acted, he only winked at me and we continued walking. Darry had never given me the brotherly advice like he was doing now. That was always Soda's job. 


	8. Chapter Eight

Nope, didn't forget about it. Right now in class it's required that we read the book and answer questions, etc so I've been in a very Ponyboy-ish mood lately(. Enjoy! By the way, I made a wallpaper based on the Outsiders / this fanfiction. Please check it out and let me know how it is. Be truthful, not mean!! Feel free to use it on your sites if you have them, the only thing I ask is that you don't say you made them. It's called plagiarism(. Thanks - oh and by the way, got the pics from: check it out, best pics from the movie that I've yet to see. Anyway, back to my story!  
  
Chapter 8  
  
That morning I woke up in a sort of confused haze as I reached to turn off my annoying alarm clock blasting the radio to wake me up for school. Had I dreamt it all? Maybe I did. Maybe Soda was alright and he was lying right next to me snoring as loud as possible like he always was. And, while I was at it, maybe Johnny was snoozing on our couch because he had to get out of the house when his dad got home drunk. I shook my head and when my head cleared I realized how desperately I missed Johnnycake. The gang had lost its two most memorable personalities. That of Johnny, the lost puppy-dog that was forced into a corner and had been kicked too many times; and Dally. Dally was the rebellious, mean, bitter one with nothing but pure hatred for the world and everything in it. The truth was all both of them needed to survive were a little love and compassion from someone other than the members of the gang. That's all.  
  
I forced myself up out of my oh-so comfortable bed and into the shower. I could hear Darry making breakfast in the kitchen and by the smell of things I guessed eggs and toast. Once I got out of the hot shower (which I also didn't want to get out of), I sauntered into the kitchen where Darry was pouring himself the black coffee he always drank in the morning.  
  
"There you are," he said as a plate with eggs and toast (I was right) was placed in front of me, as well as a glass of chocolate milk, "The hospital called early this morning." My breath stopped for a second when he said the word "hospital", but then started up again when I saw the smile on his face.  
  
"What'd they say? Is Soda gonna' be able to walk?" I started asking a million questions, not taking it into consideration that Darry could only say one thing at once  
  
"Whoa, Pony calm down. They don't know anything for sure yet so don't get your hopes all up. But, they say he has a good chance that he'll only be paralyzed temporarily," My heart soared. Maybe things were starting to go well for us.  
  
When I got to school there was still fifteen minutes before classes started, so I sat on the steps leading up to the front doors studying for the science test that was expected for third period. Science is pretty easy for me so I really didn't need to study but since I had nothing better to do I thought a little extra catching up wouldn't hurt.  
  
"Hey Pony," Meg said as she sat down next to me. She looked especially pretty today with her hair pinned back with a clip and a navy blue cardigan on. But gosh, she was some pretty. No wonder she was related to Cherry. I just nodded my head as she sat down beside me on the cold, hard steps.  
  
"How's Soda?" she asked. I could feel the familiar eyes of socs staring at us as usual whenever we were together. I was going to say something to them but decided not to. Greasers don't start trouble with Socs, Socs start trouble with Greasers.  
  
"He might be paralyzed but they don't know for sure yet," I replied simply, leaving out the fact that I bawled that night. I felt comfortable talking to her just like I did when I first met Cherry, but not that comfortable. I wished she hadn't even asked; I wished that she would just talk about something non-controversial like school or a tuff movie playing.  
  
"When will you know? I hope he gets better Pony, really. Is there anything I can do?" I could see the morning sun sparkling in her eyes. Gosh, she was pretty.  
  
"It's okay," I started, "...thanks anyway." She smiled at me and we talked on those steps about random things until the bell rang. I can't really remember what we talked about exactly, probably because I wasn't really even talking. All I saw was her lips moving and I nodded once and a while. All I could concentrate on was how attractive this girl was.  
  
School was like usual; I got a B on an English test, which should satisfy Darry due to his newfound acceptance of me since the night Johnny and I...well, you know. It was becoming a ritual; Meg would surprise me at my locker or outside the school, batting her eyelashes as the socs snarled at us. The strange thing was, she didn't seem to notice. We were walking slowly off school property talking about Mr. Whitfield's class when she all of a sudden stopped.  
  
"What?" I asked  
  
"Nothing..." she started at first, but when she just stood there staring at her feet I asked again. This time her reply was of more importance, "It's just...well I know we've just started to become friends and things are kind of hard for us because Cherry is my cousin and all...and you being a greaser or whatever, but...do you think you'd like to come over for dinner tonight? If you're going to see Soda it's okay; that's more important." I was shocked. No girl had ever asked me, Darry or Sodapop to have dinner at their house. Probably because the only girls we normally hung around were dirty girls that used foul words and smoked a lot.  
  
"Sure," I replied hesitantly. I really did want to go.  
  
"Are you sure? It's just because my aunt and uncle have been asking if I've met any new friends and I told them about you..." Oh great, I thought. What did she tell them? That I was a hood that carried around a switchblade and wore way too much hair grease? Or even worse, did she say I was a "nice boy"? Maybe I shouldn't go...  
  
"Will...uh...will Cherry be there?" I asked. I liked Cherry, she was pretty tuff. But for some reason we hadn't been talking lately and it would be pretty awkward for me to be there with her cousin and not say anything to her.  
  
"No, she's going to some party tonight. I was invited too but I don't really feel like going. Like I said, you really don't have to come. Only if you want to," I smiled and said that I'd love to. 


	9. Chapter Nine

Chapter 9:  
  
When I got home a few minutes after Meg asked me over for supper, I walked in to Darry burying his head in some paperwork. He lifted his head a little when I first walked in to acknowledge me but then exhumed him into the papers again.  
  
"What's that?" I asked as I sat my backpack down on a nearby chair. I didn't have any homework due tomorrow so I figured I'd leave it until tomorrow and go to Meg's tonight.  
  
"Taxes," he replied simply with a stern look on his face and I could tell he was trying to figure out some math problem. I wish Soda was here. I wanted so much to tell him about Meg and that she wanted me to meet her folks, but I couldn't say that Darry. I mean, I'd have to tell him I was going to Meg's house but he wouldn't be excited for me like Soda would.  
  
"Did you see Soda today?" I asked casually.  
  
"Mmm," he replied before forcing his head up to deliver the news about my brother, "It's looking good. He seemed drugged up when I got there from the morphine but he managed to tell you he said hi." I just nodded my head and walked into my room quietly.  
  
"Hey Pony, is something the matter?" Darry asked, walking into my room as I lied down on the bed. I hesitated. I really did want to tell him about Meg, but I wasn't sure if it was the right time.  
  
"No...I'm going out tonight though," I managed to say. At first I thought that maybe he wouldn't ask anymore about where I was going, but I guess deep down inside I knew he had to. That's just the kind of brother he was. So, when he did ask me, I decided to tell him the truth as I saw it. At first he just sort of looked at me; I don't think even he knew what to say.  
  
"Now you listen here, Ponyboy...I don't want you gettin' mixed up with no Soc's. I'm sure she's a nice girl and all but, heck, aren't there some girls that are our type you're interested in? I mean look at that Sheila one that you used to talk about, why don't you start goin' out with her?" I shook my head and look up at Darry,  
  
"No. I mean, Darry she's different. And I'd expect you to know better than anyone else that I don't wanna' be goin' out with no Greasy girl. Meg, she's...I don't know how to describe her. She's really somethin' else though, I'll tell you that," I said, finding myself almost daydreaming about her. I'm not one to get sappy about a girl I like, and I wasn't then either, but I'm just saying. Whenever I thought about her I'd get this feeling...kinda like the one I used to get when I was around Cherry at first. I was expecting Darry to tell me I couldn't go, or that I didn't belong at a Soc's dinner table, so what he said next came as a surprise.  
  
"Well I just want you to be careful then, you hear? I guarantee her folks aren't nothing like mom or dad, so watch yourself. And don't say anything about Johnny or the gang okay? I suppose this Meg knows already though, does she?"  
  
"Yeah, she knows," I said, feeling a little ashamed that I told her everything about the gang already, "And don't worry Dare, I'll be polite and all that," He smiled, patted me on the back and went into the kitchen to fix a supper for just him tonight.  
  
I skimmed my closet in search of something to wear tonight. I sure didn't have any clothes like the boys Cherry would have brought home, so her parents were in for a shock no matter what I wore. Even so, I thought, I wanted to make a good impression, so I chose my least-greasy shirt with a pair of not-so faded jeans. Not bad, I thought, as I looked at myself in the mirror. At first I thought about taking the grease out of my hair but decided against it. I am a Greaser, I thought, and I'm not going to change just because I want to impress Meg's folks. Still, I put in a little less than usual.  
  
I took out the wrinkled piece of paper Meg gave me with her address written on it, and glanced it over before heading out the door. I guessed it was about 20 minutes away if I walked fast, so I left right away. Right before I left, though, I brought my blade with me. I wasn't expecting anything to happen, but it was always better to have one just incase.  
  
When I reached her street, I felt like the definition of a fish out of water. All the houses were at least two times bigger than any I've ever been in, and cleaner than any place I'd ever even seen. By the house next to Meg's I saw a couple little kids playing jump rope and I smiled at them. Immediately the thought of the kids in the church...and saving them...And Johnn...NO! I stopped myself from thinking about it. There's no way I'd let myself get all juiced up about what happened, especially now. I walked up to her front door and carefully stepped on the blue "Welcome" mat at my feet. I rang the doorbell and took my hands out of my pockets. I could hear somebody getting up to answer and hoped it was Meg, which would take some of the edge off. My nerves were finally calmed when I saw her smiling face with her hand on the doorknob, telling me to come in. She looked prettier than ever tonight, with a bright-red dress on and her hair in a different style than usual.  
  
She led me into the dining room first, where I expected her aunt and uncle would be. Sure enough, there they were with all the places set and ready to eat. Both of them got out of their seats to greet me, and for once, when I saw an older Soc, I didn't feel intimidated. I could tell they were shocked when they saw me, but I got the impression that it wasn't a bad feeling. Just shock.  
  
"Ponyboy, this is my Auntie Marie and my Uncle Mark," she said as I shook hands with both of them.  
  
"Ponyboy, that's an original name!" Her uncle exclaimed, "It's not you're real name, is it son?"  
  
"Yes sir, it is. My father was an original guy, and I even got...have a brother named Sodapop," I said with a small smile on my face. Both Marie and Mark laughed, and they told me to sit down and have something to eat.  
  
The food was delicious; the best steak I'd had in a very long time. The potatoes were light and fluffy, and the gravy was just right. Conversation, for the most part, was easy-going with no real strenuous questions or anything. After we finished eating, Meg asked if I'd like a tour of the rest of her house. I said sure and thanked her family for a great supper. As we headed upstairs, Meg looked back and smiled at me.  
  
"You were great," she said as we reached the top of the staircase,  
  
"You think?" I asked, uncertain about the impression I had made,  
  
"Of course you were, I can tell already they loved you," she said as she continued the tour, including Cherry's room which was a bit awkward, until finally we reached her room. I wasn't sure if she was going to show it to me, or if it was a kind of off-limits type of deal. I was surprised when she did in fact open the door and told me to come in.  
  
It was a real girly room, which suited Meg because she was so feminine. The color was yellow, and she had everything from a TV to a huge bed with a lace canopy flowing over the edges.  
  
"Wow," was all I could say, as she laughed. "What?" I asked, a smirk on my face along with hers  
  
"Nothing just, you seem so shocked or something. First time in a girl's room?" She asked in a flirtatious voice. I couldn't figure out if she liked me in the way I liked her, or if I was just another friend. The question she asked startled me, as I thought that the answer was yes. I could lie to her, as I would to any of the guys, but I decided not to. I had been honest with her so far, why ruin that now? I nodded yes, a little ashamed, but she just smiled.  
  
"Don't be embarrassed," she said. Oh great, I thought; now she's pitying me. "I think it's sweet," We just looked at each other for a bit until her mom broke the silence by yelling up that it was time for me to leave. I didn't think I'd feel this way, but I really didn't want to go.  
  
We walked outside onto her porch and I thanked her for a great night.  
  
"Your family's real nice," I said, looking down at my feet, "I hope they liked me,"  
  
"I'm sure they did," She said. I smiled and began walking away, when she said my name and grabbed my arm. I looked into her eyes and knew what was coming next. I could feel my heart beating my chest, and tried not to show her how nervous I was. She leaned in first and I followed, and our lips met somewhere in the middle. We kissed for about five seconds, and when it ended I looked again at her. She smiled and as I began to walk away, I did too.  
  
"Bye, Ponyboy," she said as she opened the door for her to go back inside.  
  
"Bye," I said, smiling the whole way home. 


	10. Chapter Ten

Chapter 10:

I got home at around 9 o'clock, which was a time that Darry wasn't happy with, considering it was a school night and all, but it satisfied him. When I first walked into the door I prayed that he wouldn't bother me with questions about my night at Meg's, and to my surprise, he didn't. I think he was too busy and tired from doing taxes, trying to keep me and Soda at home, and worrying about him in the hospital. I was glad he didn't ask.

Weekends for me have always been about going to a movie at the Nightly Double or lighting up behind the bowling alley with the guys. But for whatever reason, this time I felt like I wanted to do something with Meg. Don't get me wrong, I loved hanging with the guys. It was a time where we could all get together and just...be. We never did anything spectacular (except of course for that one infamous night with Johnny), but somehow I always felt happy being with them, arguing over what cars are tuff and what the hottest movie out now was. Since Johnny's death, though, I found our conversations a little bit tainted. I found myself wondering what he, or even Dally for that matter, would have said in response to Two-Bit's remark on the Mickey Mouse's latest scheme. I found myself missing the two of them more than I usually did. I found myself feeling lonely. So, most of the time I just forced the ideas out of my head before they began to elaborate any further.

"Hey," I said, walking up behind Meg, her bright blonde locks of hair bouncing as she whipped around to see me. She smiled and replied with the same word as I had started our conversation with.

"Um, so this weekend . . . I was wondering if you'd wanna' do something?" I said, in a pretending-to-be-casual-but-really-trying-very-hard way. I think she picked up on this, but nonetheless she said she'd love to. I felt a huge weight being lifted off my shoulders, but that carefree feeling went away shortly.

I walked into seventh period English, feeling happy-go-lucky at the thought of my date with Meg. A felt my stomach drop suddenly when I looked over at the seat next to me. Cherry was sitting there by herself, surprisingly with none of her friends laughing and joking immaturely by the side of her desk. She was just sitting there, twiddling her pen, waiting for class to start. I suddenly felt an obligation to talk to her, to ask what was wrong and how I could make it better. WHAT? I heard a little voice asking in my ear; well, screaming in my ear. I had never once talked to Cherry at school, why would I start now? I didn't realize, up until that point that I had been staring at her this whole time. I quickly looked away, but I still thought about her.

While I was thinking of Cherry, I also began asking myself why we had totally ignored each other this year. I pondered this throughout most of class. Finally I came to a conclusion. She reminded me of Dally and Johnny, and of the kids in the church, and of blue mustangs and sunsets. So much had happened in such a short time period it seemed, and Cherry was a walking, breathing reminder of everything. I found that every time I looked at her, I saw Johnny lying face-first on the hospital bed, or Dally scrambling to catch his breath while running into the bright streetlight. It was just too much to take, and while I knew a part of me wanted to talk to Cherry again, I wasn't sure if I could. Or at least, not yet.


End file.
